It’s official: Dakota Tavern in Toronto, which was initially meant to be a mere temporary closure, is gone for good.
Despite a storied nearly 20-year run in Toronto wherein the bar earned itself a reputation as one of the top venues for live music in the city, the past few years have been tumultuous for The Dakota Tavern, to say the least.
In 2020, it was reported that the venue could quite possibly be shuttering permanently due to insurance issues and just a year later, the bar’s then-owner took the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to court over a bizarre course of events between him and an inspector.
In October of 2024, the bar’s original owners announced that The Dakota Tavern was under new ownership and would be closing down temporarily for renovations.
More than five months later, though, and the beloved Ossington bar is still closed. The longer that The Dakota Tavern has remained closed, the more its many fans have begun to wonder whether it actually would reopen at all.
Unfortunately, the official answer to that question is no.
The Dakota Tavern’s legacy has officially come to a close as a new venture prepares to move in, closing out an iconic era for Ossington.
There is a small silver lining, though, and that’s the news that the space which Dakota Tavern formerly called home won’t be dark forever. A new bar called Mickey Limbos is set to move in and, with any luck, it’ll bring a healthy dose of live music with it.
At the time of publication, there aren’t many details available about Mickey Limbos or when it will be opening, so keep an eye out for the latest news.
I feel confident speaking for all Dakota Tavern fans in saying that there can simply be no replacing what the bar brought to the city, but here’s hoping that, at the very least, it engenders a fraction of the community its predecessor did.
The Dakota Tavern was formerly located at 249 Ossington.
